Sharks Aren't Overjoyed About Far Eastern Division

Tony Cooper, Chronicle Staff Writer

Published 4:00 am, Friday, October 9, 1998

The NHL would like to think of it as global marketing. There are others who view it as sheer stupidity.

For better or worse, the Sharks begin their 1998-99 season against the Calgary Flames tonight in Tokyo, where they will square off tomorrow as well. It's the second straight year the league has dispatched clubs to Japan for its openers, Vancouver and Anaheim making the trek a season ago.

"It's f -- ridiculous," said Sharks centerBernie Nicholls, never one to mince words. "Two NHL teams playing in Japan, why are we going over there? It's not fair to the organizations. My question is why?

"I'm all for promoting the game by going to cities in the United States or Canada that are going to have a team. Is (commissioner Gary) Bettman going to Japan? I don't think so. One day, are we going to have a team in Japan? I don't think so."

When it was pointed out to Nicholls than NBA and NFL teams have staged games in foreign countries, Nicholls quickly shot back that those are exhibitions.

"I can't wait until New York or New Jersey has to go," he said. "To me, it's another stupid thing Bettman has come up with. I wish someone would tell me why we're doing this. We travel more than any team in the league and we're traveling some more. If it was a four- or five- hour trip, I'd have no problem. I have no problem with the country or anything. We're not going over the sightseeing -- we're going to work. I just don't understand why we're doing this."

Sharks goaltender Mike Vernon doesn't get it either, but he kept his comments more diplomatic. "It's an awful long way to go for two games," he said.

San Jose coach Darryl Sutter, who began his professional hockey career in Japan during the late '70s, recently issued some vituperative comments about the trip. But someone high on the NHL's executive chart called Sharks owner George Gund, and ordered him to tell Sutter to put a lid on it. After that, Sutter became relatively tame about the subject.

"We logged the second-most miles in the league last season," Sutter said. "So, I suppose, what's another 5,000 miles?"

What worries the Sharks -- and the Flames for that matter -- is that the long journey will sap their strength and affect their play well after the games are done. The Sharks fell on their faces out of the starting blocks to a 2-7-0 record last season, and don't want to repeat that. After tomorrow, the Sharks don't play again until October 18, their home opener against Boston.

"It kicks the s -- out of you," said Nicholls of the long travel. "The start of the season is critical. Last year, we got off to a bad start and were fortunate to get in (to the playoffs). They're handicapping us."

No one can deny the league's selection of teams is curious. Anaheim made sense, because Mighty Ducks protagonist Paul Kariya is of Japanese descent. But the Sharks and Flames? Those Jarrod Skalde jerseys and Ed Ward autographed pucks are going to be big sellers at the concession stands.

"If they wanted to send teams, why not send well-known ones, like the Rangers, Red Wings or Maple Leafs?" said Calgary defenseman Tommy Albelin. "(Wayne) Gretzky or the Stanley Cup champions. I mean, everyone in Japan has heard of New York."

Whether some like it or not, they're about to hear of San Jose and Calgary.

NOTES: Defenseman Brad Stuart, the No. 3 overall pick in the '98 entry draft, has been returned to his juniors team in Regina, Saskatchewan. The Sharks figure Stuart is better off in junior hockey getting tons of ice time, rather than being the seventh or eighth defenseman on the big team. . . . Defenseman Andrei Zyuzin wasn't able to leave for Japan until yesterday because of visa problems, but he is expected to arrive in time for tonight's game.

CORRECTION: An article in Wednesday's Sporting Green stated that Pittsburgh's Jaromir Jagr was the only NHL player to reach 50 goals. He was actually the only one to hit 100 points.

TONIGHT'S GAME

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